Cal's fast-starting Goff gets a breather

Updated 11:14 pm, Thursday, September 19, 2013

Cal quarterback Jared Goff, (16) looks to throw as the California Golden Bears take on the Ohio State Buckeyes at Memorial Stadium on Saturday Sept. 14, 2013 in Berkeley, Calif.

Cal quarterback Jared Goff, (16) looks to throw as the California Golden Bears take on the Ohio State Buckeyes at Memorial Stadium on Saturday Sept. 14, 2013 in Berkeley, Calif.

Photo: Michael Macor, The Chronicle

Cal's fast-starting Goff gets a breather

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Last season, UCLA's Brett Hundley set an FBS freshman record with 3,745 passing yards.

Unfortunately for Hundley, his mark may not stand much longer the way Jared Goff is playing.

Three games into the season, Cal's freshman quarterback has thrown for 1,306 yards. If he stays at his current pace, Goff will top Hundley's total in nine games and will reach 5,224 passing yards by the end of the season - sixth all-time among FBS quarterbacks. A bowl game would give him a chance to add even more.

Despite having potential to rewrite the record books, Goff insists his personal stats don't matter. In fact, he knew nothing about Hundley's accomplishment.

Goff wasn't even sure of his own total.

"I didn't even know they kept that record," he said. "What am I at?"

Yardage isn't the only statistic Goff is piling up. He is also on pace to complete and attempt more passes than any freshman in FBS history. He leads the country in both categories.

Jared Lorenzen set both records at Kentucky in 2000 with 321 completions and 559 attempts. Goff has already completed 103 of 168 passes.

"I hope he doesn't get it, because if he doesn't, that means we've finally started running the ball better," Franklin said. "The record stuff is always nice when you're 50 years old and fat, but right now we just want to win."

Franklin was Lorenzen's offensive coordinator in 2000.

"We weren't a very good football team," said Franklin, whose Kentucky team went 2-9 that season. "Usually that's how it is when you have to throw that much."

The lack of a run game is a concern for the Bears. According to Goff, many are also worried about the durability of his arm.

He hears the question often, but the 18-year-old claims he isn't fatigued.

"Not at all," he said. "I don't know why people keep asking if my arm is tired. I throw over a hundred passes every day in practice, and my arm doesn't get sore. I just ice it once or twice a week, and that keeps it fresh."

Goff will get a chance to rest this weekend, when Cal's players will have Friday and Saturday off.

Goff can't stay away too long, though. As usual, the Novato native and Marin Catholic alum said he'll be in a football stadium Saturday.